


To Remember is to Forget

by Destiny_in_the_Stars



Series: On a Summer Wind [1]
Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Canon Era, Developing Friendships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 23:30:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14924972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destiny_in_the_Stars/pseuds/Destiny_in_the_Stars
Summary: An uptake on how Hector and Ceci met in the movie





	To Remember is to Forget

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to write this because I loved exploring on background characters. This movie is very special to me. 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys this and I apologize if it isn't as good as my other Coco fics.

The first time Ceci met him was interesting.

 

He had been pacing back and forth near the building; eyes alight with a spark of anger. He’d been muttering uncontrollably to himself, something about “stolen songs” and “credit.”

 

She had thought the man was crazy, but there was simply something about him which seemed different.

 

He was wearing an old red necktie and tattered purple vest; musician’s outfit, it seemed. He looked young, early twenties.

 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Ceci yelled at him suddenly.

 

He paused and for a moment, she thought he would get angry, but he didn’t.

 

“Ay, lo siento. I’m dealing with something right now,” he answered with a smile that didn’t quite appear happy.

 

Ceci only nodded, deciding not to pry on the subject.

 

“Oh, but there are many other places to rant, you know.”

 

He looked at her, his eyes darkening slightly, but it wasn’t out of anger. No, it was something else. Maybe an upsetting memory from when he was still alive.

 

Whatever it was, Ceci didn’t ask.

 

“I’m going to go,” he finally spoke and disappeared from sight.

 

Their second encounter was different.

 

He appeared again, anger written in his face. He looked like he’d been in some kind of fight.

 

“Everything alright there?” Ceci asked.

 

“What- oh! Ay… it’s nada…” he waved her off.

 

She raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“Just some issues with an old friend of mine,” he smiled.

 

“What friend?” Cecilia questioned with a raised eyebrow.

 

“… no es importante…” he finally stated.

 

“At least tell me your name.”

 

He seemed to contemplate it briefly before answering.

 

“It’s Hector,” he finally told her.

 

“Cecilia. Mind coming inside?” Ceci asked, lowering the ladder to let Hector in.

 

Hector entered with a bit of a smile on his face. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was grateful for the hospitality.

 

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He told her the story of once traveling with _Ernesto de la Cruz_ himself, having helped write songs, but in the end never received any credit in the Land of the Dead for the music.

 

His death had been rather sudden, it seemed. Someone dying at 22 seemed a little strange, but he refused to talk about it.

 

“You wrote the songs?” Ceci frowned at the new piece of information.

 

Saying it was true meant Ernesto had _lied,_ making him a fraud.

 

Saying this was indeed true meant Hector deserved the credit, but without proof… there wasn’t much, which could be done.

 

Their visits became much more frequent and over time a friendship of sorts was established.

 

Over time, he opened up more, constantly going on and on about his beloved wife, Imelda, and his young daughter, Coco, both of which were still alive.

 

Until one night, when he showed up, looking out of breath—not that it was truly possible—panic written clear in his eyes.

 

After a bit of coaxing, Ceci heard the story that Imelda had gotten furious at Hector when he showed up, ranting on that he’d _left_.

 

“I don’t-“ he gasped.

 

Whatever had startled him, Ceci let it be.

 

Estranged relationships were always a problem.

Her last encounter with him was far more interesting.

 

He showed up with a kid and an alebrije Xolo dog.

 

He somehow seemed worse for wear, losing color in his bones.

 

Surely, he wasn’t being forgotten, was he?

 

And then the truth came out.

 

Ernesto had _killed_ him to get those songs. In time, the truth was exposed to everyone and Hector got the recognition he deserved, but rumors were spreading he was on the brink of the Final Death.

 

He should’ve faded, should’ve being forgotten.

 

Though by some miracle he was remembered.

 

Ceci felt _proud_ because she had the chance to meet him, had the chance to know him when no one else did.

 

It wasn’t often people bothered to know the names of the forgotten in the Land of the Dead, but Hector was an exception. He’d made a name for himself, whether he meant to or not.

 

Ceci could tell he was different; genuinely honest and far too loyal for his own good.

 

And that- that was all she could ever ask for.


End file.
